Bernadine Johnson

Bernadine Johnson Akamarre was born around 1984 and is from Utopia, Northern Territory, approximately 350km North-east of Alice Springs.

Bernadine married into a famous artist family, as she is the wife of well-known artist Stephen Martin Pitjara. Stephen is the brother of renowned artist Anna Price Pitjara

Bernadine’s works portray her dreaming, namely ‘Bush Leaves’ which are used for medicinal purposes in the Utopian community, and thus are central to role of Utopian women.

In her illustrations of Bush Leaves, Bernadine incorporates vibrate colours and small brush strokes to create a wave-like effect of the leaves across the canvas. As a result, Bernadine’s works are versatile and multi-directional and they begin from a centre point and open outwards.